The CGI animated sequel to “Chickenhare and the Hamster of Darkness,” the hit adventure film based on the Dark Horse comics which sold around the world, has lured buyers ahead of the European Film Market.
Titled “Chickenhare and the Very Very (Very) Old Groundhog,” the movie is budgeted at $23 million (a large budget by European production standards) and brings back the creative team behind the first film. Benjamin Mousquet is directing, while Dave Collard wrote the screenplay, based on “Chickenhare,” the graphic novels penned and illustrated by Chris Grine and published by Dark Horse comics.
The film, which is expected to be delivered at the end of the year, is produced by nWave Pictures et Octopolis, in association with Sony Pictures International Releasing. NWave and Octopolis are handling international sales and will introduce the project to buyers at the European Film Market with a promo reel. Producers are Matthieu Zeller and Matthieu Gondinet.
A raft of international distributors have already boarded the animated sequel, including in Benelux (BelgaFilm), Spain (A Contracorriente), Greece (TFG), Scandinavia and Iceland (Scanbox), Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania (Vertical), Czech Republic and Slovakia (AQS), ex-Yugoslavia (Blitz), Russia (Volga), Baltics and Ukraine (AdAstra), Turkey (Filmarti), Lebanon and Gulf (Salim Ramiah), South Africa (Film Finity), Africa (Les Films 26) and Vietnam (Blue Lantern).
The first installment sold to Sony in France and was picked up by Netflix for the U.S., the U.K., Germany, Australia/New Zealand where it ranked in the top three for several weeks.
Octopolis and nWave are both part of MZM, the production group launched by Matthieu Zeller, a well-respected former Studiocanal executive. The two companies previously teamed to handle the international sales on “Chickenhare” and “Chickenhare and the Hamster of Darkness.”